Allergic Reactions
I've blogged in the past about the local Protestant minister who hosts a radio show which I (preversely) continue to listen to. A fine drinking game would be to drink every time he takes a jab at the Catholic Church. He seems to be an intelligent person, well-read if only theologically, so I assume the jabs are persuasive to the average non-Catholic listener.
An example: yesterday's show he described the Russian Orthodox Church's recent denunciation of the consecration of Bishop Robinson. You would think this is a topic Catholics and "bible-believing Christians" (as he calls himself) would have something in common. But he manages to squeeze in a jab at the Church, suggesting that the RCC hasn't been tough enough on the Bishop Robsinon mess. (No credit given, of course, when the Pope made worldwide headlines with his denunciation of gay marriage.)
At some point the bias becomes amusing. But the reason I bring all this up is this: what is the proper Catholic response? My response a couple years ago was to call his show and write emails. But now I think a better response is to to quietly pray. I may be wrong, but I'm guessing that Catholicism is the invisible thorn that is keeping him from complete confidence that what he thinks is true, and we all crave complete confidence in our beliefs. A prickling conscience is hard to tolerate but is to some extent a 'cost of doing business' here on earth. (Ask Andrew Sullivan, who put up with it for years before recently leaving the church.) Since my conscience bothers me often, and did severely in the years before my re-conversion, I can empathize.
So I'm beginning to think that pro-Catholic emails or phone calls merely 'feed the beast of anti-Catholicism', and are the allergens that cause him to become even more anti-Catholic. And never argue with a guy who talks to 50,000 people every day.
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